16 hilarious yet cringeworthy prom photos from back in the day

Were your photos as embarrassing as these?

Prom is a rite of passage for high school juniors and seniors across the country. Who could forget driving your parents' nice car for the first time — not to mention the dresses, the corsages and the month of anxiety leading up to the event?

As the middle class expanded in the 1950s, the prom experience became more extravagant and grew into what we have today.

But somewhere in the 1970s and 1980s, things got a little weird. Here are 16 embarrassing photos from that era that will make you laugh, cringe, smile and reminisce about some great memories. Many of these come from the hilarious user-submitted gallery on Ellen. Do you still have your promo photo, your tux or dress?